Letter from the Editor

It’s a funny old town, our Ottawa. We love living here, and yet we’re forever dissing our treasured hometown for being parochial and resistant to change. We complain that the city is a few years behind on every fashion and culinary trend and we’re forever apologizing for our less than scintillating nightlife. We even listen politely and nod affirmation each time our visiting friends from Vancouver or Toronto blithely survey the scene and pronounce Bytown a bit of a backwater.

And yet, when MoneySense magazine released its annual city rankings last spring with the proclamation that Ottawa was the best place in Canada to live, were any of us surprised? Not in the least. It’s that “best-kept secret” factor. We know we’ve got it; no need to flaunt it. The country’s best museums and galleries? Check. Political intrigue always simmering just below the surface? Check. Outdoorsy pursuits? Check. A fabulous festival every freaking week of the year? Check. Oh, and don’t forget that sophisticated French-English thing. Check. Yes, Ottawa’s got it going on.

When we polled our writers, our readers, our friends, and even our frenemies about why they loved the city, the answers that came back ranged from the sincere (hey, we will admit that we do tend to be a bit earnest) to the satirical (unless, that is, we’re talking politics). There’s no doubt about it, Ottawa is the best city in the country — and perhaps the world. And we’ve got 44 reasons to back that up.

COMING UP: Our annual real estate issue explains the allure of home ownership beyond the fringe; Roger Collier takes on the transformation of the Ottawa Race Weekend into a mega event; and Patrick Langston takes in the wonders of the new Ottawa Convention Centre.

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